Argentina players deny rift with Sampaoli

Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano denied that a rift had opened between the players and coach Jorge Sampaoli after their 3-0 World Cup defeat by Croatia, saying the relationship between the two sides was totally normal.

The loss to Croatia, Argentina's heaviest in a World Cup group stage match since 1958, put the 2014 finalists in serious danger of a first-round exit before Nigeria's 2-0 win over Iceland gave them a lifeline.

However, Argentina must still beat Nigeria in their final Group D game on Tuesday to stand a chance of reaching the last 16 and keep alive five-times world player of the year Lionel Messi's dream of winning a World Cup.

"The relationship with the coach is totally normal," said Mascherano, who at 34 is one of the most experienced and influential players in the squad.

"Obviously, if we feel uncomfortable about anything, we let him know....and that goes for the players on the bench as well as the ones on the field," he told a hastily-convened press conference at the team's base outside Moscow.

Mascherano said he had played under eight national team coaches in his Argentina career and none of them had complained afterwards that the players had picked the team.

Reports have surfaced that Sampaoli would be sacked and the team selection for the final group game against Nigeria would be decided by the playing group.

"There are many myths about the team and about this generation," Mascherano said.